AskBob's Best of 2013 - Part Two

Here's the second half of my Best of 2013, the most popular AskBobRankin articles fom the past year. I scoured my logs to find the ones that generated the most interest from YOU -- based on your views, clicks, comments and recommendations. Here's another batch of ten top articles for you to review. I hope you'll read each one, leave your own comments, and use the Share buttons to smarten up your Email, Facebook and Twitter friends. :-)

Choosing a cell phone and a mobile service provider can be frustrating and confusing. So many plans to compare, so many phones with so many features. Isn't there an easy way to find a no-frills phone and a simple, inexpensive plan? Actually, YES! Read on for details...

Why use an expensive and complicated fax machine when there are so many Internet alternatives? Some even allow you to send and receive faxes online for free. Here's a roundup of free Internet fax services...

Approximately 44 percent of U.S. broadband subscribers get their phone, TV or high-speed Internet from one of the top ten companies. Many, probably most of them, pay far more than they should for those services. Here’s why, and how to avoid money grabs from your phone company or cable operator...

A hard drive glitch, a virus, or other data catastrophe can delete or damage critical system files in any operating system. Learn about free repair and recovery tools that can fix damaged Windows installations without having to reformat and reinstall everything from scratch...

'How fast is my internet speed?' is a common question. There are quite a few definitions of internet speed and several free ways to test it. Here's the scoop on Internet speed tests, and why you definitely should check your speed every once in a while. See also: Speed Up Your Internet Connection

A brand-new computer is something to get excited about. It’s tempting to plug it in and just start exploring. But a new computer requires some initial fine-tuning in order to optimize performance and avoid problems later on. Here are five things every user should do to a new desktop or laptop PC as soon as it comes out of the box...

To clone a hard drive means to make an exact copy of it. This is more than simply backing up data files; even hidden, protected operating system files are copied in a clone operation, and the exact position of every file on the original drive is preserved. Hard drive cloning (also called imaging) is useful for backup, disaster recovery, and other applications. Read on to learn more...

How can I boost my wifi signal? I finally got high-speed internet with a wireless router, but the wifi signal is weak in some parts of the house. What tweaks or gadgets do you recommend to boost wireless signal strength and distance?

A reader asks: 'I know I need to defrag my hard drive every once in a while. Are there any other regular PC maintenance tasks you recommend doing on a regular basis?' Yes! Here are five free programs you can use to clean up and tune up your Windows computer...

EDITOR'S NOTE: The article is good, but I think the practical difference is semantic. They both result in an exact duplicate.

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